Books and ghosts in Norway’s fjordland

In the middle of fjordland Norway, Mundal Hotel is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year. This family-owned hotel has creaking stairs, a great turret bed room, a library, a billiards room, a music room, deep leather chairs by the fireplace – and books; not just in the library but everywhere.

That’s as it should be. Like Hay-on-Wye, this little village is a member of the International Organisation of Book Towns. Wherever you go in Fjærland, you’ll find books; indoors and outdoors, along the streets, in barns and in boat sheds. Four kilometres of second-hand and antiquarian books are for sale, mostly on a trust system: take the book you fancy and put money in the tin.

I found a book about old hotels and their ghosts. To my disappointment, Mundal Hotel doesn’t seem to have a resident ghost. Or does it…?

According to the International Organisation of Book Towns, a Book Town is a small rural town or village in which second-hand and antiquarian bookshops are concentrated. Most Book Towns have developed in villages of historic interest or of scenic beauty.

Tiny Fjærland in Norway’s West Country has both.

Apart from the quirky hotel, Fjærland offers fabulous water activities on the fjord, hiking – on one of the many glaciers nearby if you like – as well as a hands-on glacier museum. On our first visit in 2000, Ötzi was visiting and my then 12-year-old and I got a close look at the remarkably well-preserved Bronze Age man found in the Alps some 20 years ago.

This is not a sponsored post. We stayed a night in Mundal hotel as part of a family holiday. We stayed in the turret suite even. It wasn’t cheap. But absolutely wonderful.

@David – that depends on what you like to do. Winter is the best time to see the Northern Lights. If you’d like to have a go at all kinds of winter sports – or just being out in cold, crisp weather, you’ll really enjoy visiting in winter. On the other hand, summer is excellent as well – especially the long white nights (midnight sun if you go above the Arctic circle). Autumn can be nice as well – now and through September at least, the colours are just gorgeous.

For Oslo, I would probably not choose early spring, at least not in the city – can be a bit wet and muddy when the snow is melting in the streets. But from May onwards – wonderful 🙂

I’m so jealous! What a beautiful town and full of one of my most favorite things, books–a past-time I’ve been missing since having my little girl. Thanks for sharing. Since I can’t visit in person your photos give me the next best thing!

A town full of books set in a beautiful, secluded environment – now that’s a complimentary destination. The ghost (or possible ghost) of the Mundal Hotel intrigues me. All the more reason to go. Truly an interesting place, Sophie.